Train Tickets

• Everyone uses the SBB app to buy tickets, so install it before your trip
• If you are taking transit in Zurich, there are different transit zones. You can get a 24 hours pass in the central zones for 9.40 CHF (as of mid-2026) or a 3-zone pass that includes the airport for 14.40 CHF
• If you plan to use trains a lot in one day, it's a good deal to get the Saver Day Pass. This day pass MUST be purchased before the day it will be used. And this pass is more heavily discounted the earlier you buy it. So plan your trip in advance and you can ride Swiss trains all day for much cheaper than purchasing the day before (when it costs 119 CHF). You can also get multiday passes: CHF 254 for 3 days or CHF 309 for 4 days. Link with info.
• Even if you are not using the day pass, buying a ticket in advance of your trip at a specific time (if you know which train you want exactly) can still give a discount. Open the SBB app and check for saver offers. This must be done for future day, not same day, travel.
• There is a Half Fare Pass, which gives you a 50% discount on all train tickets. It costs CHF 150 and is valid for one month. It gives 50% off virtually everything: SBB and private trains, PostBus, city trams/buses, lake boats, and most mountain railways and cable cars (including Jungfraujoch, Pilatus, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise). It pays for itself once you'd otherwise spend about CHF 300 in full-fare tickets within one month. A single big mountain excursion can cover half of that by itself (e.g. Jungfraujoch return is over CHF 200 full fare, so the discount saves 100+).

Saving money

• Restaurants and cafes are very expensive. A cheaper way to get a meal is to go to Migros or Coop (the two most popular supermarket brands) and buy a premade meal (salad, sandwich, etc.). This may cost "only" 11 CHF, compared to closer to 25 CHF for a meal at a restaurant
• It is very normal for locals to cook almost all of their meals at home, due to the expense of eating out (or getting food delivered)
• For cheaper lodging, consider staying just outside the famous spots. Wilderswil, Bönigen, or Ringgenberg instead of Interlaken; Samedan, Celerina, Bever, or Zuoz instead of St. Moritz; Saint-Luc instead of Zermatt or Crans-Montana. Bern is somewhat cheaper than Zurich/Geneva. You can also check for private rooms in hostels, farm stays (bauernhof-ferien.ch), and local portals rooms.ch / bnb.ch alongside Airbnb.